Pump for semi-fluid material



Aug. 16, 1966 E. sM|TH PUMP FOR sEMI-FLUID MATERIA :5 Sheets-Sheat l Filed Deo. 9, 1963 Aug. 16, 1966 E. sMlTH PUMP FOR SEMI-FLUID MATERIA 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed DeC- 9, 1.963

IN VEN TOR. '57/77/ ug. w, 1966 E. sMlTH PUMP FOR SEMI-FLUID MATERIA 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 9, 1965 INVENTOR. Fa/(75m5 SM/rf/ z |l. .JF

United States Patent O 3,26'6,435 PUMP FOR SEMI-FLUID MATERIA Eugene Smith, 9648 Lemoran Ave., Downey, Calf. Filed Dec. 9, 1963, Ser. No. 328,886 4 Claims. (Cl. 103-170) This invention relates to a new and improved pump for Semi-fluid m-aterial and more partioularly to a concrete pump.

While a number of different types of concrete pumps are available, they do have certain disadvantages.

One d'isadvantages resides in the fact that the concre-te pumps are usually mounted on trailers requiring one prime -mover to operate the pump and another prim mover to tovv the trailer.

Another disadvantage resides in the fact that prior art concrete pumps are relatively expensive and complicated to manufacture, having many parts that wear out rapidly in use.

Yet another disadvantage resides in the fact that the pistons and cylinders employed in such concrete pumps wear out rapidly due to the abrasive nature of the concrete being pumped.

A further disadvantage resides in the fact that, although the mechanisms for driving the pump pistons are complicated and expensive, they sometimes get out o'f adjustment causing the pistons to operate non-synchronously.

A still further disadvantage resides in the fact that the valves controlling the flow of concrete from the pump do not always effectively seal the lines being controlled.

In view of the foregoing factors and conditions characteristic of concrete pumps, it is a primary object of the present invention 'to provide a new and improved concrete pump no-t subject to the disadvantages enumerated above and having relatively simple and 'inexpensive component parts for pumping concrete efficiently, economically and eXpe-ditiously.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a truck-mounted concrete pump.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a concrete pump having parallel, reciprocating pistons wh'ich are reciprocated by a simple and inexpensive ch-ain driven means.

Still another object of the 'present invention is to provide a new and improved valve 'for controlling the flow of concrete from a concrete pump.

' A further object of the present invention is to' provide means for minimizing the wear between the pistons and cylinders of a concrete pump.

i A still further object of the present invention is to provi-de a new and useful lubricating system for the pistons of a concrete pump.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved valve actuating mechanism for the valves of a concrete pump.

According to the present invention, a concrete pump is mounted on a truck and includes a chain driven mechanism vwhich is operated through the transmission of the truck to reciprocate in alternating fashion a pair of pist'ons. The drive mechanism also reciprocates a control 'bar which operates a pair of hemispherical valves controlling the allow of concrete from the pump. TEhe concrete is fed from a hopper located above these two valves. On the back stroke of a piston, the associated valve is positioned so that concrete is drawn from the hopper into the cylinder in front of the piston. At the same time, the other piston is moving forward in the other cylinder and the valve associated with that other piston is in position to close the hopper and permit the concrete to 'be pushed forward toward a common outlet conduit.

Each piston is provided with a plurality of spaced,

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resilient rings. A flexible water line feeds water to the piston between .the rings. The water seeps around the piston and is discharged to waste. This provides a selficleaning and lubricating action which minimizes wear between the piston 'and the cylinder and 'also minimizes wear on the piston rings. The water line is connected to a water tank mounted on the truck. w

The chain drive mechanism includes a transverse shaft which is mounted generally above the level of the pistons and cylinders. The transverse shaft is r-otated by suitable gearing and a `drive shaft which is connected to the power take-off on the truck. A small gear on the transverse shaft drives a large center gear through a chain. The large center gear is tfixed to 'a small center transverse shaft which drives, among Other things, the control valve bar.

Each piston has a rod which lis connected between a pair of spaced, parallel drive chains. This arrangement permits free movement of the piston rod both up and back land also up and down to some extent, as the end of the piston rod which is connected to the drive chain follows the path of the drive chain. The inwardly disposed drive chain of each pair is driven through the small center transverse shaft. The outwardly disposed chain of each pair is driven by an outer chain drive assembly which transmits rotation from the transverse shaft to the router chain drive.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and m'anner of operation, together with furt'her objects `and advantage-s thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying dralwings, in which like reference characters refer to like elements in the several views. i

In the drawings:

'FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a concrete pump of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view, with parts shown in elevation, taken along l'ine 3-3 of FIIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view, with parts shown in elevation, taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing details of a lubricating system employed in the concrete pump of the present'inventon;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view, with parts shown in elevation, taken along line 6-6 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 9 `is an enlarged, cross-Sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIGURE 6.

Referring again to the drawings, the concrete pump constituting the present' invention, generally designated 10, is shown in combination with a truck 12. The truck 12 includes a chassis 14 and a cab 16. The chassis 14 includes a box-like member 18 and a plurality of longitudinal, parallel rails 20.

The concrete pump 10 includes a pair of pump cylinders 22, 24 which are supported on chassis 14 'by rails 20. Each cylinder is lined with a thin, chromium plating, not shown, and includes an upstream end 26 which lis connected by a flange 28 to a fitting 30 forming the lower portion of a concrete-supply hopper 32. Each fitting 30 includes a cylindrical, upstanding neck portion 34 forming a circular outlet 36 .through which concrete is free to discha-rge from the hopper 32 into an associated cylinder 22, 24. Each fitting 30 alsol includes an angular neck portion 38 having a substantially circular upstream end -40 which is in fluid communication with an associated '54 may be powered by means, not shown, to play the discharge line 52 out to a point of application of the concrete being pumped by the pump 10.

Concrete is pumped from the hopper 32 to a point of use by a pair of pistons 60, 62 which are reciprocally mounted in cylinders 22 and 24, respectively. The pistons 60, 62 are pivotally connected to piston rods 64, 66, respectively. Each piston rod 64, 66 carries a journal 68 at its end remote from its associated piston. The journals 68 may be connected to their associated piston rods by a suitable plate and bolt arrangement, such as the plates 70 and bolts or cap screws '72 as shown in FIGURE 4. A bearing 74 is mounted in each journal 68 (FIGURE 7) and a motion transmitting device 76 is rotatably 'mounted in each bearing 74.

A pair of pins 78 extend from each end of the motion transmitting device 76.

Power to operate the concrete pump is supplied by the truck 12 through a power take-off shaft 80 which drives a train of gears, not shown, in a gea-r box 82. A powered shaft 84 extends across :the chassis 14 and is rotatably journaled in journals 86 which are affixed to the chassis 14 by bolts 88. The shaft 84 is driven by the gears, not shown, in gear box 82.

A first gear 90 (FIGURE 1) is rigidly affixed to the shaft 84. A second gear 92 is aflixed to a shaft 94 which is rotatably mounted on chassis 14. An endless chain 96 is trained about the gears 90 and 92 and transmits power from the shaft 84 to the shaft 94. A gear 98 (FIGURE 3) is rigidly affixed to one end of the shaft 94 in alignment with a gear 100 which is aflixed to a :shaft 102 which, in turn, is rotatably mounted 'on the chassis 14. An endless chain 104 is trained about the gears 98 and 100 and is driven by the gear 98. It will be observed in FIGURE 3 that one pair of pins 78 passes through a link 106 in chain 104 so that one end of the motion transmitting device 76 will be carried by the chain 104 as it travels about gears 98 and 100. The other end of the motion transmitting device 76 is connected by pins 78 to an endless chain 108 which is also driven by the shaft 84 through a gear 110, an endless chain 112, a gear 114 (FIGURE 3), a shaft 116 (FIGURE 2), a gear, not shown, afiixed to the end of shaft 116 and a gear, not shown, aflixed to a shaft 118 which is rotatably mounted on chassis 14. The chains 104 and 108 constitute spaced, parallel driving means astraddle the piston rod 64 and reciprocate the piston 60 as the motion transmitting device 76 follows an orbital path defined by the chains 104 and 108 as they are moved by their associated gears.

This particular type of drive has particular and uneX- pected advantages in a cement pump. It is well known that the pressure or force acting on the piston is quite variable because the cement is abrasive and the friction encountered in the line va'ries bringing about this lack of uniformity and force However, the type of drive described herein combined with the cement pump cylinder produces a newresult in that uniform force acting on the piston can be achieved. Any length of stroke can be obtained simply by lengthening the distance between the sprockets. Also the 'runs of chain are straight between the sprockets and as stated a :steady uniform thrust is obtained. The relative sizes of the cement cylinder, the conduits of the fitting 44, and discharge line 52 are also of significance in connection with the drive of the pistons. The flexible discharge line 52 must be small enough so that it can be handled by an operator. On the other hand the piston cannot be made as small as this because if it were that size there would be required so many reciprocating strokes of the piston that the parts would quickly wear out. The design of this machine involves a piston of large size for a larger volume; a discharge fitting having conduits of smaller size and a flexible line of still smaller size. This means, of course, that the cement has to move at higher Velocity in the discharge line than in the discharge fitting and in the cement cylinders. This combination has been tested and found to be successful.

The piston 62 is reciprocated in like manner by a pair of spaced, parallel endless chains 120 which are driven in a manner similar to the chains 104 and 108 by the shaft 116 and by the shaft 84 through a gear 122, a gear 124 and a chain 125 (FIGURE 4). The gear 124 is affixed to a shaft 126 which is rotatably 'mounted on the chassis 14.

The motion transmittng device 76 which is connected to the chains 120 is located with respect to the motion transmitting device which is' connected to the chains 104 and 108 in such a manne-r that one piston will be nearing the end of its suction stroke while the other piston nears the end of its discharge stroke and vice versa.

Flow of concrete from the hopper 38 to each cylinder 22, 24 and from each cylinder into the discharge fitting 44 is Controlled by a hemispheric-al valve 130' which is swingably mounted in each fitting 30 by a pair of shafts 132 and 134. Each valve 130 may be swung to a first position to close its associated opening 36 from hopper 32 and to a second position to close the associated upstream end 40 of outlet neck 38. Each shaft 132 is rotatably mounted in a boss 136 by a bushing 138 (FIG- URE 9) and each shaft 134 is rotatably mounted in a boss 140 by a bushing 142. Seals 144 may be provided in the fitting 30 to prevent leakage past the shafts 132 and 134. A crank arm 1146 is rigidly affixed to the exposed end of each shaft 132 by a cap screw 148 and one end of a link '150 is pivotally connected to each Crank 146 by a pin 152. The other end of each link 150 is -pivotally connected to a slide bar 154 by a pin 156. When the slide bar 154 is moved to the right, as viewed in FIGURE 2, to the limit of its travel, the valve 130 controlling fiow of material in cylinder 24 will be seated in the opening 40 and the valve 130 controlling flow in the cylinder 22 will be seated in the opening 36. When the slide bar 154 is moved to the left to the limit of its travel, the valve controlling cylinderi22 i's swung 90 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE 3, to seat on the opening 40 and the valve '130 controlling cylinder 24 is swung in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE 4, to seat in the opening 36. The slide bar 134 is actuated by a pair of endless chains 158 which are each trained about a set of gears like the gears 160 and 162 shown in FIG- URE 6. The gears '160 are affixed to the shaft 116 for rotation therewith and the gears 162 are aifixed to a shaft 164 (FIGURE 6) which is rotatably mounted on chassis 14. A pin 166 (FIGURE 8) is affixed to each chain 158 and each pin engages a first lug 168 on bar .'154, as the chains 158 travel counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG- URE 6, to move the bar 154 to the left. As the chains 158 Continue their counterclockwise travel, the pins 166 leave lug 168 and later strike a second pair of lugs 168 lto move the bar 154 to the right. The action of the slide bar 154 is coordinated with the stroke of the pistons 60 and 62 in such a manner that each opening 40 is closed when its associated piston is on its intake stroke and each opening 36 is closed when -its associated piston is on its compression stroke.

Leakage of concrete past the pistons 60 and 62 is minimized by a Ipl'urality of resilient piston rings 170 which are seated in ring grooves 172 (FIGURE 5) provided in the pistons. The rings 170 are in wiping arrangement with the inner wall 174 of an associated cylinder 22, 24. Wear between the pistons 60, 62 and the associated side wall 5174 is minimized by providing a lubricating system 176 for each piston. The lubricating systems 176 each include a water supply line 178'which may be connected to la suitable source of water, such as a Water tank 180 mounted on truck 12 on uprights 182. The water supply lines 178 are of a flexible nature so that they will accommodate the reciprocation of the pistons and are connected to a suitable water pump for each piston 60, 62, such as the -pump 184 shown for the piston 60 in FIGURE 4. Each pump 184 may be affixed to the journal 68 and discharges into a line 186. Each line'186 discharges into a suitable manifold, such as the manifold 188 shown for the piston 62 in FIGURE 5. A plurality of nipples 190 are in fluid communication with each manifold '188. Each nipple 190 discharges into an orifice 194 provided in its associated piston between a pair of piston rings 172. The water thus supplied flushes any concrete leaking past the rings 172 from the space between the associated piston and the inner side wall 174 around to suitable discharge orifices, .such as the orifices 196 shown in FIGURE 5 for the piston 62. The flushed material flows through the orifices 196 into nipples 198 and a discharge manifold 200 from whence it flows through a discharge line 202 to waste. The lubricating system 176 is an important feature of the invention and has been found in actual practice to greatly extend the life of the piston rings 172, the pistons 60, 62 and the cylinders 22, 24. By observing the waste material discharging through line 202, the amount of leakage of concrete past the associated pistons can be determined and the piston rings 172 may be replaced when substantial amounts of concrete appear in the discharge from the line 202. But for the lubricating system 176, concrete seeping past the rings 172 would harden between the pistons and the cylinders when the concrete pump is taken out of operation for an eX- tended period. Upon resuming operations, this hardened concrete would seriously damage the pistons and cylinders.

The concrete pump 10 is powered through the engine, not shown, of truck 12 by actuating a lever 204 to take the truck transmission (not shown) out of gear and by actuating a second lever 205 to shift a power take-off or divider 206 so that the shaft 84 is rotated through the gear box 82 and a gear box 208. This places the chains 96, 112 and 122 into operation. The chain 96 rotates the chain 104 through their associated gearing and shafts and the chain 112 rotates the chain 108 at the same speed as the chain 104 so that the motion transmitting device 76 follows the path of travel of the chain 104 and 108 causing the piston 70 to be reciprocated in cylinder 22. In like manner, chain 1\12 also drives the inner chain of the pair 120 While the chain 122 is driving the outer chain of the pair 120 at the same speed to reciprocate piston 62. The chain 112 also drives the pair of chains 158 which actuate the slide bar 154. Assuming that the stage of r operation is such that the piston 60 is moving to the right, as viewed in FIGURE 3, that the piston 62 is moving to the left, as viewed in FIGURE 4, and that the valves 130 are positioned as .shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, then the piston 62 will be drawing concrete into cylinder 24 from hopper 32 through opening 36 and the piston 60 will be expelling concrete from the cylinder 22 through the opening 40 into the discharge fitting 44. As the pistons 60, 62 near the ends of their strokes, the pins 166 engage the lug 168 on bar 154 causing it to be carried to the left, as viewed in FIGURE 6. This turns the crank 146 for the cylinder 22 downwardly to seat the associated valve '130 in opening 40 to interrupt the flow from cylinder 22 through fitting 44 and pulls the crank 146 for the cylinder 26 upwardly to seat its associated'valve 130 in the associated opening 36 to interrupt flow from the hopper 32 into cylinder 24 and to open the associated opening 40 so that at the beginning of the compression stroke for cylinder 62, the concrete in cylinder 24 will be discharged through the fitting 44. At all times during operation of the device, the pistons 60 and 62 are being lubricated with water supplied from tank 180 through the lubrication systems 176.

While the particular concrete pump herein shown and described in detail is fully capable of attalning the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, t is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A 'concrete pump comprising:

(a) a hopper for supplying concrete to be pumped, said hopper having a pair of substantially circular outlets;

(b) a pump cylinder in fluid communication with each of said outlets;

(c) a concrete discharge line in fluid communication with each pump cylinder, each of said discharge `lines having a substantially circular upstream end mounted adja'cent its associated outlet and a downstream end dischargng into a common outlet conduit;

(d) .a piston recprocally mounted in each cylinder;

(e) a piston rod connected to each piston, each piston rod having a journal at its end remote from said piston;

(f) a hemispherically-shaped valve swingably mounted between each of said outlets and their associated upstream ends for selective engagement with said outlets and said upstream ends of said discharge lines;

(g) means for simultaneously seating one valve in its associated outlet and the other valve in its associated upstream end;

(h) a crank connected to each valve for swinging each valve to a seated position;

(i) a control bar connected to each crank, said control bar extending over an endless chain;

(j) means for connecting said endless chain to said control bar cyclically to slide said control bar and actuate said valves;

(k) a pair of endless chains mounted astraddle each piston rod; `and (l) means rotatably mounted in each journal for connecting said piston rods to said chains whereby said pistons are reciprocated thereby.

2. A concrete pump comprising:

(a) a hopper for supplying concrete to be pumped, said hopper having a pair of substantially 'circular outlets;

(b) a pump cylinder in fluid communication with each of said outlets;

(c) a concrete discharge conduit in fluid communication with each pump cylinder, ea-ch of said discharge conduits having a substantially circular upstream end mounted adjacent to its associated outlet, and a down stream end, a discharge line connected to said down stream ends, said discharge conduits fbeing relatively smaller than said pump cylinders and said discharge line being relatively smaller than said discharge conduits;

(d) a piston recprocally mounted in each cylinder;

(e) a piston rod connected to each piston, each piston rod having a journal at its end remote from said piston;

(f) a pair of endless chains mounted to straddle each piston rod;

(g) means rotatably mounted in each journal for connecting said piston rods to said chains whereby said pistons are reciprocated thereby;

(h) drive means for driving said chains;

(i) and valve means operable :by said drive means for alternately closing one outlet and opening its associated discharge conduit while opening the other outlet and closing its associated discharge conduit.

3. A concrete pump comprising:

(a) a hopper for supplying concrete to be pumped,

said hopper having a pair of substantially circular outlets;

(b) a pump cylinder in fiuid communication with each of said outlets;

(c) a concrete discharge line in fiuid communication with each cylinder, each of said discharge lines having a substantially circular Upstream end mounted adjacent to its associated outlet, and a downstream end, a common Outlet conduit connected to said downstream ends, said discharge lines being reduced in diameter relative to the pump cylinders and said common outlet conduit being reduced in size relative to said discharge lines;

(d) a piston reciprocally mounted in each cylinder;

(e) a piston rod connected to each piston;

(f) a hemispherically-shaped valve swingably mounted between each of said outlets and their associated upstream ends for sele-ctive engagement with said outlets and said upstream ends of said discharge lines;

(g) means for simultaneously seating one valve in its associated Outlet and the other valve in its associated upstream end;

(h) means connected to each valve for swinging each valve to a seated position;

(i) means having a straight line motion connected to the means for swinging the valve; and

(j) means having a straight line motion for actuating each of said pistons.

4. A concrete pump as in claim 3, including piston ring means encompassing each piston in Wiping engagement With its associated cylinder and means connected to each piston for supplying a lubricant thereto and removing it therefrom.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,021,296 3/1912 Ault 103-212 X 1,991,342 2/1935 Ball 103-153 2,001,661 5/1935 Ball 103-153 2,032,163 2/1936 Bagby.

2,170,080 8/ 1939 Kaiser.

2,455,084 11/1948 Neely 103-212 X 2,543,564 2/1951 Bakewell 103-218 X 2,796,032 6/1957 Ballert 103-170 X 3,077,204 2/1963 Bennett et al.

FOREIGN PATENTS 895,070 4/1962 Great Britain.

MARK NEWMAN, Primary Examner.

WARREN E. COLEMAN, Examner. 

1. A CONCRETE PUMP COMPRISING: (A) A HOPPER FOR SUPPLYING CONCRETE TO BE PUMPED, SAID HOPPER HAVING A PAIR OF SUBSTANTIALLY CIRCULAR OUTLETS; (B) A PUMP CYLINDER IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH EACH OF SAID OUTLETS; (C) A CONCRETE DISCHARGE LINE IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH EACH PUMP CYLINDER, EACH OF SAID DISCHARGE LINE HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY CIRCULAR UPSTREAM END MOUNTED ADJACENT ITS ASSOCIATED OUTLET AND DOWNSTREAM END DISCHARGING INTO A COMMON OUTLET CONDUIT; (D) A PISTON RECIPROCALLY MOUNTED IN EACH CYLINDER; (E) A PISTON ROD CONNECTED TO EACH PISTON, EACH PISTON ROD HAVING A JOURNAL AT ITS END REMOTE FROM SAID PISTON; (F) A HEMISPHERICALLY-SHAPED VALVE SWINGABLY MOUNTED BETWEEN EACH OF SAID OUTLETS AND THEIR ASSOCIATED UPSTREAM ENDS FOR SELECTIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID OUTLETS AND SAID UPSTREAM ENDS OF SAID DISCHARGE LINE; (G) MEANS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY SEATING ONE VALVE IN ITS ASSOCIATED OUTLET AND THE OTHER VALVE IN ITS ASSOCIATED UPSTREAM END; (H) A CRANK CONNECTED TO EACH VALVE FOR SWINGING EACH VALVE TO A SEATED POSITION; (I) A CONTROL BAR CONNECTED TO EACH CRANK, SAID CONTROL BAR EXTENDING OVER AN ENDLESS CHAIN; (J) MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID ENDLESS CHAIN TO SAID CONTROL BAR CYCLICALLY TO SLIDE SAID CONTROL BAR AND ACTUATE SAID VALVES; (K) A PAIR OF ENDLESS CHAINS MOUNTED ASTRADDLE EACH PISTON ROD, AND (L) MEANS ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN EACH JOURNAL FOR CONNECTING SAID PISTON RODS TO SAID CHAINS WHEREBY SAID PISTON ARE RECIPROCATED THEREBY. 